Dust Diseases Care
What is a dust disease?
Dust diseases are caused by inhaling dust on construction and industrial sites. While the majority of dust diseases cases are caused by asbestos inhalation, it’s not the only situation that can cause a dust-related disease to develop. Some other materials that can cause dust diseases are:
- Crystalline silica
- Hard metals, such as tungsten and cobalt
- Aluminium, beryllium
- Bagasse, cotton and mouldy hay
- Straw or grain
Dust can be inhaled on a work site when it is disturbed or created. While the risk of developing a dust-related disease is low, symptoms don’t usually to appear for many years. You should take workplace safety precautions in order to minimise any risk, such as dust suppression measures and personal protective equipment. Please visit the SafeWork NSW website for more information on workplace safety and dust.
What is icare?
icare dust diseases care NSW is a scheme that provides financial compensation and health care support to people affected by work-related dust diseases. They also provide funding for research into the causes, diagnosis and treatments.
What does icare cover?
The dust diseases managed by icare dust diseases care under the Scheme include the following:
• Aluminosis
• Asbestosis
• Asbestos induced carcinoma
• Asbestos-related pleural diseases (ARPDs)
• Bagassosis
• Berylliosis
• Byssinosis
• Coal dust pneumoconiosis
• Farmers’ lung
• Hard metal pneumoconiosis
• Mesothelioma
• Silicosis
• Silico-tuberculosis
• Talcosis
More than 95% of the dust diseases managed by icare dust diseases care are asbestos-related.
You can find out more about icare here.
Services we provide for dust disease clients:
For clients approved into the dust diseases care program, we can provide an array of services such as:
Home Nursing
Respite Care
Transport
Domestic Assistance
Clinical Services
24 hour & Overnight Care
Arrange Allied Health referrals
Arrange in-home equipment
